George alvin ank



(No Model.)-

G. A. ANK. FOLDING WALL SHELF, TABLE, 0R DESK. No. 593,828.

Patented Nov. 1 6, 1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFIQE.

GEORGE ALVIN ANK', or MOUNT CARROLL,"IL'L'IN'OIS.

FOLDING WALL S H ELF, TABLE, OR DESK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 593,828, dated November16, 1897. A

Application filed March 2, 1897. Serial No. 625,741. (No model.)

Tables, or Desks; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The invention relates to a folding table, desk, or shelf adapted to beattached to the wall or other suitable support adapted to have the leafof the table or shelf folded into a vertical position when not in use,so as to occupy but little space, and when to be used to be dropped intoa horizontal position.

The invention hasfor its object to provide simple and efficient meansfor supporting the shelf and holding it in its horizontal position whenin use, and simple and efficient means by which the leaf can be thrownand held into its folded position when not in use.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as mayhereinafter appear, the invention consists in the construction and inthe combination of parts hereinafter particularly described and thensought to be defi nitely defined by the claims, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, and in which- Figure 1is a perspective of the table or desk with its leaf in its'horizontalposition. Fig. 2

' is a side elevation of the same, showing the leaf in its foldedposition. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective of one of the leaf-supportingbrackets.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates two uprights of suitablematerial adapted to be secured by screws or other means to the wall orother support and connected together at their upper ends by across-piece 2, which may be braced in its connection to the uprights bysuitable brackets 3. The. uprights 1 are each formed with aslot 3 in theparticular form illustrated, extendin glen gthwise of each upright andextending through from one side to the other of the uprights.

The numeral 4 designates the leaf of the table or desk, which issuitably secured to brackets 5, which may be of metal and flangedpreferably on the outside, so that the bracket can be made of lightmaterial and yet be strong. This flange also constitutes an ear forhinging to it a brace-rod, hereinafter mentioned. The brackets 5 haveattached thereto at the rear ends the members or rollers 6,

adapted to pass through the slots 3 in the uprights 1, and to have avertical movement therein in the operation of folding or unfolding theleaf. The preferred manner of connecting the members or rollers 6 to thebrackets 5 is by journaling the-m in ears 7, which extend from the rearof the brackets and which lie on-opposite sides of the uprights 1, andthus brace the leaf against side movement in itsattachment to theuprights and permit movement of the leaf in folding and unfoldingwithout liability of the brackets or other parts binding on'theuprights. The ears 7 lie in a lower plane than the main portion of thebrackets, so that the leaf can be folded flat or close to the uprights1.

The leaf 4B is held in its horizontal position by means ofspring-catches 8, which are secured to the inside faces of the uprights1 and which have hooks 9 at their free ends, adapted to fit over theears 7, as illustrated in Fig. 1, so as to grip the earsand prevent theroller ends of the brackets from moving upward and thus hold the leaf inits horizontal position.

The spring-catches 8 are released from the ears 7, when it is desired tomove the leaf, by meams of suitable connections, such as chains 10,which are connected at one end, to the spring-catches and at the otherend to a lever 11, whichis fulcrumed by a pivot 12 to a bracket 13,which may be secured to the wall orother support by suitable means. Whenit is desired to release the catches, the lever 11 is turned so as topull on the flexible connections 10, which action withdraws the catchesfrom engagement with the ears of the brackets and leaves the leaf freeto be turned and to be moved upward, carrying the rollers 6 to the upperportion of the slots 3 and bringing the leaf to the vertical positionillustrated in Fig.2 of the drawings.

When the leaf is in its folded position, the

pawl or catch 14:, attached to the lever 11, engages a keeper or catch15, attached to the under side of the leaf 4 near its front edge, andthus locks the leaf in its folded position. \Vhen the table is to bemoved into its horizontal position, the lever 11 is moved on its pivotby grasping a knob 16 on that lever, so as to bring the pawl or catch14: out of engagement with the keeper 16 and thus permit the forward endof the leaf to be moved outward and the rear end of the leaf to bebrought down by the rollers 6, moving in the slots 3, until the tableassumes its horizontal position,when the hooks of the spring-catches 8again engage the rear of the brackets 5 and hold the leaf in itshorizontal position.

The numeral 17 designates two brace-rods which are pivotally connectedat their lower ends to the lower part of the uprights 1 and pivotallyconnected at their upper ends to the flanges of the brackets 5. Thesebracerods aid in sustaining the leaf in its horizontal position as wellas assist in bracing the leaf against lateral pressure, and beingpivoted at both ends, as described, will fold with the leaf as thelatter is lowered and its rear end raised in bringing the leaf into itsfolded position.

The numeral 18 designates metal plates secured to the lower part of theuprights 1 at the points where the lower ends of the braces 17 arepivoted, so as to preventfwear on the uprights at the points where thebrace'rods are pivoted thereto.

I have illustrated and described what I consider to be the preferreddetails of construction of the several parts; but it is obvious thatchanges can be made in details without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

Under the construction described a very simple, strong, and efficientfolding table or desk is formed. The parts are comparatively inexpensivein construction, they can be readily assembled, and are not liable toget out of order.

readily to the wall or other support and when i The structure can beattached necessary can be easily taken down. The parts when folded arecompact and occupy the minimum of space, and the design or configurationof the structure can be such as to be ornamental and decorative, so thatwhen the leaf is folded an ornamental or decorative panel may be inview.

Having described my invention and set forth its merits, what I claimis 1. The combination of the slotted uprights, the leaf provided withbrackets having a member movable in the slots of the uprights, andcatches adapted to engage a rear portion of the brackets to sustain theleaf in a horizontal position, substantially as and for the purposesdescribed.

2. The combination of the slotted uprights, the leaf provided withbrackets having a member movable in the slots of said uprights, catchesto engage a portion of said brackets, and a lever joined to said catchesby suitable connections and adapted to be moved so as to withdraw thecatches from engagement with the brackets to permit the leaf to befolded, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. The combination of the slotted uprights,

' the slots of the uprights, substantially as and for the purposesdescribed.

In testimony whereof I my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE ALVIN ANK. Vitnesses:

JOHN S. GROVE, ALVA F. WINGERT.

